Drug war chief: We don’t need body cameras … God is watching us!

Superintendent Joseph Adnol being interviewed about the PNP’s return to the drug war. Picture via Twitter.

The cop leading President Duterte’s war on drugs said his officers don’t need body cameras — because they have God watching over them.

Superintendent Joseph Adnol, director of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Drug Enforcement Group, made the claim after it was announced that the PNP was being put back on the drug war following its third suspension.

Speaking during a media interview today (Wednesday, December 6), he said: “For me, there really is no need for body cameras, our camera as policemen is God. He is our very camera who will watch over us.”

Since a number of controversial killings of teenagers in Caloocan, the campaign has been in the hands of the Philippines Drug Enforcement Agency.

Supt. Adnol, also said the body cameras were “not necessary” and not part of the “basic police equipage” as listed in the PNP’s operations manual. Rather than amending this list, he instead asked the public to put their trust his men.

“For me, personally, we want to show that the people should trust their policemen there is no need for such body cam,” he added.

Despite this, he conceded that not all cops were trustworthy, but he assured that any rogue elements were being dealt with by an “internal cleansing programme”.

Speaking at an oath-taking ceremony at the Malacañang, he said: “I hope to finish the problem… maybe give me just another year.”

During his election campaign, the president pledged to free the country from the drug trade in “three to six months”. However, he later admitted this would be impossible due to the involvement of high-ranking public officials.

Yesterday, the president announced a replacement for PNP chief Ronald dela Rosa, who is due to retire when he hits 56 in January.

The nation’s top cop is set to be Deputy Director General Ramon Apolinario, Dela Rosa’s number two. He said: “Your next PNP chief will be handsome, he’s Apol.”

The appointment has not yet been formally confirmed by the Malacañang.

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